This is an old page. For a newer version go to the Master List Dutch to English

Dutch Words in (Some) Depth: Dutch Index

Page in Development - I'll add new words when I've made a few more reference pages, and there may be more words added later.

The asterisk * means that there is a 'disambiguation' or verb page about this word
'Pragmatic markers' are seemingly superfluous or meaningless words
Use your computer's page search function to look up the translation of English words

achter	- behind

al *	- already - all - al/alle - even if

alleen	- 'alone' - only / by yourself

allemaal	- ~all of it, all of us, completely, in its entirety

alles	- everything

als *	- when & if - as, like - as a, being a (representing)

altijd	- always, all the time - see also: Words of Time

bang	- afraid (de) angst / (de) vrees - fear

bedankt	- thanks - bedanken 2 to thank

bedoelen 2	~ to mean

'n beetje	- a little, a little bit

begrijpen	- to understand ('to know the how or why of something') see also: verstaan 'to hear'

best 2	- best (best / beste 2)

betekenen	~ to mean

beter 2	- better (beter / betere )

bij	- 'by,' 'close to,' 'near,' 'at' 'with' etc.

bijna 2	- almost, nearly, barely

blij	- 'glad,' happy about something, 'pleased, delighted, contented' / cheerful, merry, 'in a good mood' (blij / blije )

blijken	- 'to turn out, come to light'

blijven 2	- to remain, to stay

boos	- angry - boze 2 - boos / boze

boven 2	- above, over / upstairs

d'r 2	- it, ~there

daar *	- (over) there - indicating location - that (placeholder - with preposition) - because (old-fashioned) - see also omdat

dan * 2	- than ('better than') - then (future) - dan ook -ever (whatever, whoever etc.)

dat *	- that, those (indicating remote items) - that placeholder - 'That's good news!' - that conjunction 'I hope that you're happy' - that - instead of 'who' or 'which' - 'the pen that wrote the words'

de 2	- ~the

denken * 2	- to think

doen * 2 3	- to do

door *	- by the agent of an activity, 'kicked by John' - the passive voice - through - a passage - 'through the window'

dus	- so - 'I gather, I get the impression, in conclusion, I understand'

echt 2 3	- real; really (echt / echte 2)

eens * / /	- once - 'sometime' or pragmatic marker

eerste 2	- first ~ also: eerst 2

elk	- every, each, any - elk / elke

eigenlijk 2	- actually

elkaar	- each other

er * /	- ~there - in this/that place - there is, there are - introducing statements - it 'placeholder' (with preposition) - 'pragmatic marker'

erg *	- very - awful, terrible, very bad

ergens 2	- somewhere

even *	- for a moment - (even ... als ) just as, equally - even (numbers)

[(de)] fout	- wrong; mistake - (fout / foute 2 3) - see also

gaan *	- to go

geduld 2	- patience

geen	- no, zero quantity

gelijk 2	- equal - gelijke 2

gelijk hebben 2	- to be right

(het) geluk 2	- luck; happiness

gewoon	- common, usual, regular; just (gewoon / gewone 2)

gezellig 2 3	- ~cosy, ~enjoyable, ~pleasant, ~gregarious, ~nice

goed 2 3	- 'good' and 'well' - (goed / goede ) - 'right, correct'

haast *	- hurry, haste - almost, nearly

hard	- ~hard ('not soft' / 'requiring great effort' / 'with great force' / 'intense, powerful') & loud & fast - hard / harde

hebben *	- auxiliary verb for the perfect tense - to have, to own

heel 2 3	- very

helemaal 2	- ~completely, entirely, fully, all over

het 2 3 / 't *	- ~the - it

hier 2	- here

(de) hoop 2	- hope - hopen 2 to hope

horen * 2	- to hear

houden 2	- ~to hold etc.

houden van	- to love, to like

ieder	- every,each - ieder / iedere 2

iedereen	- everybody, everyone, 'all'

iemand	- somebody, someone

iets	- something

(de) kans	- chance; possibility; opportunity

kennen *	- to know (people) / to be familiar with

keurig	- neat, proper - keurig/keurige

klaar	- ready (done, finished; prepared)

komen *	- to come

kunnen *	- 'can,' be able to

kwaad 2	- angry - kwade 2 3

laat *	- late, not in/on time - laat/late 2 - 'let,' allow - see also: - laten

laatste 2	- last ~ also: laatst 2

langzaam	- slow - langzaam/langzame

laten *	- to let, allow - and more

later	- later, afterwards, in the future

lekker 2 3 4	- 'enjoyable, pleasant, nice, delicious' or simply 'good' or 'well' - lekker / lekkere 2

leuk 2 3 4 5	- enjoyable, entertaining, nice, or 'funny, amusing' and 'pretty, attractive' - leuk / leuke 2 3

lezen *	- to read

lief	- dear, sweet - lief / lieve

liever 2 3	- rather (I'd prefer)

liggen * 2	- to lie (down)

lijken	- 'to look like' - similarity or giving an impression

lopen * 2	- to walk

luisteren	- to listen

maar *	- but (contrast, contradictions) - just, only - pragmatic marker

maken *	- to make

meer	- more

meer dan 2 3	- more than, over

meest	- most

meestal 2	- most of the time, usually

minder	- less & fewer

minst	- least

mis	- wrong - see also

moeten * 2	- 'must,' 'should,' to have to etc.

mogen * 2	- 'may,' be allowed to

na	- after

nauwelijks 2	- 'barely,' 'almost no,' "narrowly"

nergens 2	- nowhere

net *	- just like - net ... als 2 - 'just, barely' - a moment ago - 'just' - 'exactly, precisely' see also: precies - neat, proper - net (fishing, safety, network etc.)

niet 2	- not, do not

niets / niks	- nothing

niemand 2	- nobody, no-one

noch	- (neither ...) nor - (old-fashioned)

nodig	- necessary nodig hebben 2 - to need

nog *	- still & yet (remaining, ongoing) - (with a superlative) even, still

nogal 2	- rather, quite, in a large degree

nu / nou 2 3	- now

of *	- or - choice - if, whether - 'I wonder if ...'

om *	- at (hours) (om ... te ) - to / for - reason for, aim or purpose, because of, in order to, with the intention ... - 'about,' '~because of,' 'for' - giving a reason - around or: a turnaround - 'alternating' - other translations

omdat	- because

ook	- also, too

over * 2	- in amount of time until - past hours on the clock - over, across 'bridging' - about (a subject) - 'over zijn' & 'over blijven' - left, remaining - other translations

overal 2	- everywhere

'n paar	- a few, a random small number

(het) plezier	- 'pleasure' - fun, joy, enjoyment

praten *	- to talk, chat

precies 2	- exactly, precisely

prettig	- nice, pleasant / comfortable, pleasant

raar 2	- strange, odd, weird - raar/rare 2

[(het)] recht 2	- the right to ...; straight - (recht / rechte 2)

rustig	- calm, peaceful, quiet, steady, not hurried

saai	(saai / saaie 2) - boring

samen	- together

schijnen	- 1. to shine 2. to seem, look like

schrijven * 2 3	- to write

slecht	- bad (slecht / slechte 2)

snel	- quick, rapid, fast

soms	- sometimes - also: wel eens 2

spoed	- haste, speed, rush, urgency

spreken *	- to speak

staan *	- to stand

stil 2	- quiet, no sound - stil/stille 2

tegen	- against

teleurstellend	- disappointing

toch	- 'still, yet' - 'nevertheless' - 'despite something' - 'after all' - or something else

(de) tocht 2	- difficult journey; military campaign; draft (airflow)

de toekomst	- the future

toen * 2 3	- then, at that time - (in the past) - when - 'at the time that'

vaak 2	- often

van * 2	- of - ownership, asociation, relationship etc - from - point of departure, place of origin, starting point - by - creators of art - other translations

veel 2 3	- much & many

verdriet 2	- grief, sorrow droevig - sad - droevige

vergeten 2 3	- to forget

verkeerd	- wrong (verkeerd / verkeerde 2)

verschrikkelijk	- terrible, horrible, very serious - verschrikkelijke 2

verstaan 2	- to understand (- hear what is said) - see also begrijpen

vervelend	- unpleasant, annoying - vervelend / vervelende 2 'zich vervelen' 2 is 'to be bored'

vinden	- 1. to find 2. 'to think' (voicing opinions)

voor * 2	- before (time) - in front of (place) - for destination, intention, exchange - for, in favor of - other translations

voorbij	- over, past, 'history'

vrienden	- friends

vroeg *	- early - vroege - asked (singular)

vroeger	- earlier; in the past

vrolijk	- cheerful, merry

waar *	- where? what place? - where - the place that indicating a location - (with preposition) what (placeholder) - true, real

(de) waarde	- value, 'worth'

waarom? 2	- why? what for?

wanneer?	- when? at what time?

want 2	- because - see also omdat

wat *	- what? what is? what is it? - what the thing that, the event that (placeholder) - what a! such a! how! - some, a small quantity of - something

weinig 2 3 4	- little & few

[(het)] weer 2	- weather; again - see also: Weather Talk

wel	- amplifier, 'do'

wel eens 2	- ever, sometime, sometimes, occasionally

welk 2	- which - welk/welke' 2

(de) wens	- wish

weten *	- to know (things) / to have knowledge of

willen 2 * 2	- to want, wish, would like to, desire

worden * 2	- auxiliary verb for the passive voice ('to be') - to become

zeggen * 2	- to say

zelfs	- English 'even' - extreme or unexpected situations

zien *	- to see

zijn *	- auxiliary verb for the perfect tense - to be

(de) zin 2	- sense (etc.) / sentence

zin hebben in 2	- to feel like (to want)

zitten *	- to sit

zo *	- so, so very a high degree of - that, that very, thàt - zo een, zo'n such a, a very - (in) this/that way, like this/that - soon, in a moment

zo ... als 2 / zoals 2	- like, as, similar to, the way that

zomaar 2 3	- just like that - suddenly happening, no clear cause or reason

zulk	- such - zulk/zulke

zullen *	- shall/will, auxiliary verb for the future tense

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Don't be a dief (thief) / dievegge (female thief) - diefstal (theft) - stelen (to steal) - heler (dealer in stolen goods) - hear Dutch - 2